


You Don't Know My Heart

by Spacecadet72



Series: If You're Not the One [12]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), F/M, Marriage of Convenience, angst like woah
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-19
Updated: 2018-04-19
Packaged: 2019-04-25 04:21:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14370801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spacecadet72/pseuds/Spacecadet72
Summary: Chat Noir and Marinette talk.





	You Don't Know My Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is, the conversation the day after Crying Shame. It hurts but I loved writing this one. Just know I don't do unhappy endings. 
> 
> Title comes from the Rachel Platten song of the same name, which you should listen to if you want Proposition 'verse feels. 
> 
> One more oneshot and then the end stuff, which is kinda weird that this is wrapping up. Thank you to everyone for your continued support!

Marinette paced back and forth, waiting for Chat Noir. She had left work early, her nerves stopping her from getting anything done. It had been worse once she had gotten home with no distractions and the memory of Chat everywhere in her small apartment.

She had debated for days whether this was really what she wanted to do, but she couldn't ignore any longer that what she really wanted was for what they had to be real. Knowing that could never happen was too painful and she couldn't keep doing that to herself.

There was a noise by the window and she turned to see Chat standing by the sofa, looking awkward and small. She had never seen him like that, and her heart ached for what she was about to do to him.

"Thanks for coming," she said, not able to keep the nervousness out of her voice.

"Of course," he said, looking and sounding just as nervous as she felt.

She sat on the couch and waited for him to join her before speaking. "What did you want to talk about?"

Chat shook his head. "You go first."

She nodded and swallowed thickly, feeling like she was going to throw up. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“I can’t do this anymore,” she said, casting her eyes around the room. Anything to keep herself from watching his face as she went back on her word. “I thought I could, but I can’t live like this.”

She finally looked up at him and had to fight back tears. Instead of the anger or confusion or hurt she had expected, his expression was totally blank and completely unreadable. That hurt more than any angry outburst.

He simply nodded. “I’ll send over the divorce papers in a couple of days.”

And then he was gone.

A sob she’d been holding back escaped her and suddenly it was too much to keep standing. She collapsed onto the couch, her head in her hands and cried.

It was only after the tears had stopped the she realized he had never shared what he wanted to talk about.

* * *

  
“You alright, kid?” Plagg asked, hovering hesitantly over Adrien’s shoulder.

Adrien shook his head as he fought back tears. The trip from Marinette’s place to his was a blur and he still couldn’t quite process what had happened. He hadn’t expected the conversation to go well exactly—at least, not for her to confess her love so they could be truly married. But he hadn’t expected her to ask for a divorce either. Was being married to him truly so horrible?

“Maybe she just needs time to think,” Plagg said hopefully. “She was pretty emotional yesterday. In a few days she might realize that’s not what she wants.”

“No, Plagg,” Adrien said, shaking his head sadly. “No, she’s decided and I wouldn’t want her to feel pressured to stay with me.”

“So you’re not even going to fight for her?” Plagg asked, sounding frustrated.

“What am I supposed to do?” Adrien asked, jumping to his feet and running his hands through his hair. The blurry, lethargic feeling had passed and now he had too much energy. “She doesn’t want to be with me and the last thing I want is for her to be with me for any other reason than it was her choice.”

As quickly as it had come, he felt his energy drain and he sank back down on the couch. He was just so tired. He hadn’t been able to sleep well the night before and Marinette saying she couldn’t live like this had taken the rest of his energy out of him.

“No, this is for the best. She can find someone else who she can love and I can—I can move on.”

The idea of not loving her killed him, but he didn’t have any other choice.

“I think you’re making a mistake,” Plagg said around a mouthful of cheese.

Adrien laughed, but there was no humor in it. “I know, Plagg, but it’s what I have to do.”

* * *

  
True to his word, the divorce papers arrived a few days later. Alya had offered to be there when she went through them and Marinette had considered taking her up on her offer, but in the end, felt like this was something she needed to do alone.

She pulled the papers out of their envelope and began reading through them. She wiped at a tear that threatened to escape. She had made her decision and felt good about it, no matter how much it hurt, but it was different seeing it laid out in cold, stark print.

She read through the papers, finding no issues with the document until she reached the section about the division of assets.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, she pulled out her phone and dialed Chat’s number.

He picked up after the first ring. “Hello?” he said, sounding hesitant and as if he was bracing himself for something painful.

“Hey,” she said, some of her frustration draining away at his tone. “I need to talk to you about something. Could you come over to my place?”

“I’ll be there in a minute,” he said before hanging up.

She put her phone down on the table and picked the divorce papers back up, her frustration coming back as she read the page over again.

“What is it?” Chat asked as he stepped down from the windowsill.

She held out the divorce papers to him, pointing at one particular paragraph with more force than she meant to. “What is this? You’re letting me keep the money for my shop?”

Chat crossed his arms. “Of course I am. You need it.”

“That’s not the point,” Marinette said her frustration turning to anger. “That money is only mine as long as we’re married, which we won’t be for much longer. It might take a while, but I will pay you back.”

“I don’t need the money, Marinette, and as far as the agreement goes, I never should have asked so much from you. It was selfish and if I can help you, I will. As your friend if nothing else.”

“I don’t want your help, Chat. Not like this,” she added more softly when Chat looked like she had slapped him.

He simply stared at her for a moment before nodding and going to the table. He crossed out and added a few things on the page, before handing it to her. “How does this look?”

Marinette looked at the paper to see he had changed the section about the money for her shop to say that she would pay him back as she could in monthly increments. She nodded. “It looks good, thank you.”

Chat nodded again. “Initial it and I’ll have my lawyers look at it.”

She initialed it and then handed it back to Chat who put his initials next to hers. That made her sad again, knowing they wouldn’t be connected like this anymore.

Chat handed her the papers back to continue looking at and turned to leave.

Marinette remembered something from the other night. “Chat, wait.”

Chat turned and waited for her to speak, his expression guarded again.

“The other night, what were you going to tell me?” she asked, not sure she wanted the answer, but knowing she couldn’t not ask.

Chat shook his head. “It’s not important.”

And then he was out the window, leaving Marinette alone with the divorce papers and a deep sadness.


End file.
